In Memoriam: The Headband
Like the Spinaci bars, the headband was cool, effective and disappeared quickly. While the Spinaci was outlawed by the UCI for being too radical, the headband couldn’t co-exist* with the newly arriving hard-shell helmet and it said arrivederci, I’ve heard something about this ‘step aerobics’, I’ll go there.
Headband crossed national boundaries: Jean-François Bernard, Roberto Visentini, Dag Otto Lauritzen and Davis Phinney all engaged them with aplomb. It was form and function. Who doesn’t want to keep the eyes clear of sweat and who doesn’t want to look more awesome? Who, damn it?
This was more than a sweatband, for sponsors it was a chance to increase the billboard surface area. For certain riders it was also fashion statement, like extra wide bell bottoms were a fashion statement. Pulling off the headband required having good hair or at least high hair. One would think Super Mario should have killed one (hair and Italian) but no, headband would interfere with his succession of perms and hair gels festivals. Even Mario realized he could have too much going on up there. On the other end of the spectrum, Sean Kelly would never have worn one, (god, please don’t let someone here find a photo of this). In the middle of the 1980’s spectrum, experimentation was rampant, they were rocked by Hinault and Fignon. It was a crazy world back then.
*Gert-Jan Theunisse somehow made it co-exist, as only he could (see below).
The little seen pink headband, grazie, Roberto
I for one and glad that era is in the past.
You just wanted to work in an entire piece that ended with Eros, didn’t you, Gianni? I’m onto you and your infatuation for that tall dude.
Good lord, Dag had some nice hair. Damn.
Well, well before I became a Follower I saw a Salsa Cycles headband and had to have it. I didn’t ride much at all, but thought it was awesome. The elastic has long since snapped on it, but I still have it in my cycling drawer.
@Gianni
No, surely looking awesome and keeping the eyes clear of sweat are the raisons d’être of the cycling cap. Headbands were abominations of a similar order of wrongness as today’s podium caps.
I am firmly in the camp of, “Headbands are not awesome now, nor were they ever”
Andrea Tafi wore a cap modified to serve as a headband /visor combo as well.
http://www.dailypeloton.com/article_images/szurly/rideroub/Tafi%20trains.JPG
No one rocked a headband better than Bjorn Borg.
Sorry that peak/headband was best left o the golf course.
I maintain that Davis Phinney is one of the coolest cats to ever swing a leg over the top tube.
@Matt
And a genuinely nice guy too. Post-race party in DC after 1992 Tour DuPont.
@chris
I’m not authorized to give our plus one badges, but I’ll just concur 100% with you. Headbands have no place outside of aerobics classes or Olivia Newton John videos.
I still have the headband. And the glasses, jacket and glove (singular) for that matter…headbands RULED.
@wiscot
Olivia Newton John videos… …mmm… …careful, I’m trying to work here and could lose hours reliving my youth on You Tube.
@Oli
I just thought you had a really low hairline! That’s some pretty rad brake lever placement too. Cinelli 66s?
@chris
Yeah, they don’t make videos like this anymore. Caution, this video cannot be unseen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA
Nah. You are on your own with this one.
@Oli
As always, you are wise.
@Ron
Any chance to work some Eros Poli into an article I will. You got me there.
@chris
You demented bastid…AC DC and ONJ. Your youth was conflicted.
@chris
What do I think of her outfit? Depends…
I would rather wear a headband than some of the new helmets that have come out in the last few years.
@HigherGround
To tell you the truth, I haven’t got a clue, it’s just gone 1am and I’m finding that gif to be somewhat hypnotic.
@Gianni
It was a beautiful time of my life.
At the risk of being excommunicated, I will be one of the few voices of dissent that speaks up for the much maligned headband. As someone with a Pantani-esque hairline, there is not much to keep the sweat from running in to my eyes or smearing my glasses. When I have tried wearing a cap under my helmet during the heat and humidity of the summer, I get noticeably warmer. In fact, during the Gran Fondo Philadelphia in 2010, I felt worse and worse at the midpoint of the ride until I wondered if I would even make it to the next rest stop. As soon as I took off the Headsweats skull cap that I had worn with the hope of avoiding a Darth Maul sunburn on my dome, I started to feel immediately better. I guess that since there’s nothing up there to retain the heat naturally, any layer that is added retains heat and cuts down on the evaporative cooling. Perhaps those of us resembling Cipollini will not notice the added layer of a cycling cap as much during the heat of the summer. A Halo headband under my helmet does wonders for keeping my eyes and glasses free of sweat, but as soon as the helmet comes off, so does the headband. Of course it leaves a line on my forehead (or is it a fivehead?) that is reminiscent of the final scene from the movie Hannibal, which is definitely not for the squeamish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx_hlStCL7g
I laughed at this probably harder than I should have: “…Sean Kelly would never have worn one, (god, please don’t let someone here find a photo of this).” Some riders, as noted above, could pull off the look. But picturing Kelly, and many of the Classics hardmen who shall not be named out of respect for them, as wearing headbands… just wrong.
I once had that Renault Gitane headband that Hinault is sporting. Thought it made me look awesome. (Delusion is strong in this one). Always wished I had the Blue Gitane bike to go with it. Got a Blue Colnago Super instead but it just wasn’t the same…
@Oli
Is that a La Vie Claire jacket?
@chuckp
Our own Pat Cash didn’t do a bad job either
Theunisse — a driven man.
1989 Tour de France, Gert pulls out a cap to finish with style.
My training manual clearly states that a sweat band is an legitimate piece of racing kit
Yep, been there… During the late 80’s,I had blue lycra shorts (see pic in previous post, taken 1 minute before I threw them away) with pink jersey (still have and wear it) plus pink headband and pink wristbands. I liked it back then as it did keep sweat out of my eyes. When wearing contacts, sweat in your eyes is just killing. It wore out and got canned decades ago, never to be replaced again.
GJ Theunisse lost his hair while ago… GJ trying to get the Lion-look back
Follicularly challenged
Follicolly challenged
I think Fignon looks awesome in a headband. I tried to get hold of one of the Renault-Elf headbands for a fancy dress costume (yes, I went out dressed as Laurent Fignon. No, no one got it), and they are like rocking horse shit.
While I don’t think I’d leave the house wearing them, I do have a fine use for headbands/sweatbands – on the turbo/rollers. I have them on wrists and head every time I go on the turbo and it drastically cuts down the amount of sweat sprayed around the kitchen and onto my bike.
@RobSandy
Agree! Although I do not have a headband anymore, I dislike this even more:
So I usually have a towel in my neck. Right now, the garage is quite chilly so roller-sweat is rare anyhow.
@wiscot
I think they were actually 3ttt Superleggero ‘bars – those are Modolo Speedy levers too which had lever blades that came out too far so you had to run them lower just to get your fingers on them.
That whole bike was chucked together out of whatever I could get my hands as I scrambled back to cycling life after five years of bikeless smokin’ and drinkin’, but I’ve probably never done as many miles on any bike since. It was a terrible mess of Sante derailleurs and brakes, 105 chainset and hubs, heavy FIR rims and a freaking Vetta saddle, of all things. I loved that bike…until a better one came along. (It’s not a De Rosa, by the way, it’s a Ferrari :winking emoji: )
Haha, and a frame pump wtf! In my defence, this was 1992 – mini-pumps weren’t proven technology back then and this was a 160km event!
Vetta. Oh, how I hate them. I have around 4 of their computers that no longer work. What bugs me is that I have older computers than these that work just fine. I’ve been trying to get customer service to do something, anything and they won’t. Jerks.
@HigherGround
I have proof positive Sean Kelly wore a headband but will leave them unposted out of respect for Kelly
@Gianni
This past Sunday Eros Poli came and rode with my local neighborhood cycling club and I missed it. I was out on a solo ride that day. I’m still kicking myself! What are the odds?
@Jason Wright
I have a memory of him wearing one too, but there exists the possibility I’ve made it up. That’s never stopped me from sounding completely confident in my assertion though.
@Ron
I’m still using a Cateye that has outlived a couple of Garmins. Photo proof it’s still ticking.
@Gianni
Yes, and you guys keep quoting it. FFS.
@Jason Wright
Yeah, buried deep in my psyche I can see the image. Still, Sean doesn’t seem like a headband guy.
@Oli
In the grass, no less. Uphill both ways?
@MangoDave
Holy smokes! What a missed opportunity. Do you live in Italy and if so, you suck.
Have you guys not heard? The neck thingie is the new headband.
@fignons barber
His may be laced with coke…
@fignons barber
Neck thingies are so pro right now. I don’t go out on the bike this time of year without one.
You’re welcome.
@fignons barber
That is a lot of ugly right there, but he is still a studly looking man. Respect.
@Ccos
Allegedly.
@Chipomarc
Pro is not the same as looking good. Stop it.
But mine is a Castelli neck gaitor wrap, I’m sure I look great with that.
@Chipomarc
The Russian’s measure of manliness is going about with their necks uncovered in winter. They probably also drink a shit load of vodka to do it but that’s besides the point.